Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
The summer headliner. Stake it, water at the base, and pick when it gives a little.
Hardiness: zones 2 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 5 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Harvest: July to September
From: W. South America
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Native to: Andean highlands. Hardy in zones 2 to 11.
The story
Tomatoes were domesticated in Mexico from a wild Andean weed and reached Europe with the Spanish in the 1520s, where they were grown as ornamentals for two centuries before Italians trusted them. Seed savers kept thousands of heirlooms alive through the 20th century.
Planting
Full sun and rich drained soil; set out sturdy plants after frost, buried deep to the first leaves, 2 feet apart with a cage or stake.
Growing
Water deeply and evenly, mulch, and feed modestly; too much nitrogen gives leaves, not fruit. Pinch suckers on staked plants. Rotate beds yearly.
Harvest and use
Pick when fully coloured and slightly soft, summer into autumn; green fruit ripens indoors before frost. Never refrigerate.
What to watch for
Blight and leaf spot in wet summers, hornworms, blossom-end rot from uneven water.
See if Tomato fits your yard
Free planner: enter your ZIP for frost dates, climate fit and a sowing calendar. No account, no ads, no tracking cookies.
More annual vegetables, herbs and grains
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home